The Los Angeles Lakers are into the second round. After dispatching the Houston Rockets in the first round, Los Angeles now faces a significantly steeper challenge. The Oklahoma City Thunder were the best team in the Western Conference this season, and at the center of everything they do is reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Lakers know what is coming. They have been preparing for it. And on Monday, Marcus Smart did not shy away from acknowledging exactly how difficult this assignment is going to be.
Smart has defended every elite scorer in the league over the course of his career. His answer about where SGA ranks among them was unambiguous.
Lakers’ Marcus Smart Names Gilgeous-Alexander the Toughest Player to Defend
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Speaking to the media after practice, Smart was asked about the challenge of guarding Gilgeous-Alexander to open the series. He did not hesitate. Number one, he said. The toughest guard in the NBA right now.
Smart broke down what makes SGA so difficult to contain. His ability to draw fouls is elite, and Smart identified keeping him off the free throw line as one of the primary objectives for the Lakers defensively. As he put it: “He does a really good job of getting to the free throw line and he’s mastered it.” Staying out of foul trouble while contesting every possession is a balance that requires constant discipline across the entire roster, not just one defender.
Smart acknowledged there is no perfect answer heading into this matchup. In his words: “You gotta be willing to give up something and you gotta pick your poison.” Gilgeous-Alexander is going to get his. The goal is to make every bucket as difficult as possible and limit the damage on the possessions that matter most.
What Makes SGA So Hard to Guard
GettyShai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Smart went further in breaking down what separates Gilgeous-Alexander from other elite scorers. The reigning MVP is a genuine three-level threat, and Smart was direct about what that means for anyone trying to guard him: “He’s an MVP, right? We know it. He’s been doing this for a while now. We know what he’s capable of and it makes him very dangerous to be that type of three-level scorer.“
That versatility is what makes him so hard to game plan against. Take away one area and he finds another. Give him space and he makes you pay immediately. Smart’s approach is built around effort and discipline rather than any single tactical adjustment. As he described it, the objective is simple: make every possession for Gilgeous-Alexander as hard as possible and force him to work for everything he gets.
Smart will carry the primary defensive assignment to start the series, but the Lakers will need contributions from everyone to slow him down.
Final Word for the Lakers
Smart is not pretending SGA is beatable with a simple adjustment. He is acknowledging the challenge clearly and laying out a realistic approach to managing it.
The Thunder were the best team in the West for a reason. They are also the reigning NBA champions. Gilgeous-Alexander is the reigning MVP and is widely expected to take home the award again this season.
The poison is real. The Lakers have to choose wisely.
Lakers’ Marcus Smart Makes Feelings Clear on SGA Before Thunder Series